Pennsylvania Game News - November 2012 - 38

Conservation News
www.pgc.state.pa.us

Bear and Deer seasons coming

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OVEMBER	26	marks	the	opening	 of	 the	 firearms	 deer	 season,	 the	 day	 hundreds	 of	 thousands	 of	 hunters	anxiously	await	from	one	year	 to	the	next. This	 year,	 the	 WMUs	 in	 which	 only	 antlered	 deer	 may	 be	 taken	 during	 the	 first	 week	 —	 except	 on	 DMAP	 properties	 by	 hunters	 with	 valid	DMAP	permits	—	is	the	same	as	 last	year:	In	WMUs	2A,	2C,	2D,	2E,	 2F,	2G,	3B,	3C,	4B,	4D	and	4E,	only	 antlered	deer	may	be	taken	from	Nov.	 26	through	Nov	30	(Monday	through	 Friday).	From	Dec.1-8,	both	antlered	 and	 antlerless	 deer	 may	 be	 taken	 in	 those	 11	 units.	 In	 all	 other	 units,	 the	 antlered	 and	 antlerless	 seasons	 run	 concurrently	 through	 the	 entire	 2-week	season,	Nov.	26-Dec.	8. Antler	 restrictions	 remain	 the	 same:	four	points	to	at	least	one	side	 in	 WMUs	 1A,	 1B,	 2A,	 2B	 and	 2D,	 and	three	points	to	a	side	in	all	other	 WMUs.	The	slight	modification	made	 last	year,	that	in	the	4-point	WMUs,	 hunters	may	still	abide	by	“three	up,”	 meaning	an	antlered	deer	with	at	least	 three	main	points,	excluding	the	brow	 tine,	off	the	main	beam	is	legal.	The	 brow	 tine	 is	 the	 point	 immediately	 above	the	antler	burr.	See	page	53	of	 the	Digest. For	junior	license	holders,	disabled	 persons	(to	use	a	vehicle)	and	residents	 serving	 on	 active	 duty	 in	 the	 U.S.	 Armed	Forces,	a	legal	antlered	deer	is	

any	that	has	one	antler	at	least	three	 inches	in	length	or	an	antler	with	at	 least	two	points. Hunters	 must	 wear	 at	 least	 250	 square	 inches	 of	 fluorescent	 orange	 material	on	the	head,	chest	and	back	 combined	at	all	times	while	afield. New	 this	 year	 is	 that	 hunters	 are	 not	required	to	display	their	hunting	 licenses	on	an	outside	garment.	They	 must,	however,	be	in	the	hunter’s	possession,	along	with	a	second	form	of	 identification. Every	 hunter	 who	 takes	 a	 deer	 must	fill	out	a	harvest	tag	and	attach	 it	to	the	deer’s	ear	before	moving	the	 carcass.	For	antlerless	deer,	the	tag	supplied	with	the	antlerless	license	should	 be	used.	See	page	54	of	the	Digest	for	 the	recommended	positioning	of	the	 ear	 tag.	 Leaving	 the	 barcode	 clearly	 visible	 will	 help	 deer	 aging	 teams	 record	all	the	necessary	information. Within	 10	 days	 of	 taking	 a	 deer,	 hunters	are	required	to	report	it	to	the	 Game	Commission.	And,	reporting	is	 as	easy	as	ever:	A	harvest	report	card	 can	be	used,	and	report	cards	are	provided	in	the	Digest,	but	hunters	may,	 instead,	report	their	deer	—	and	turkeys	—	online,	via	the	Game	Commission’s	website,	or	by	calling,	toll-free,	 1-855-724-8681	(1-855-PAHUNT1). Hunters	 who	 use	 the	 toll-free	 number	 will	 receive	 a	 confirmation	 number	that	they	should	write	down	 and	keep	as	proof	of	reporting.	Before	

Pennsylvania Game Commission: Managing wild birds, wild mammals and their habitats for current and future generations.

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GAME	NEWS
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Game News - November 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - November 2012
